AN INDEPENDENT appeals board has thrown out a three-week ban slapped on a South Warrnambool junior footballer for unbecoming conduct.
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The Roosters junior is free to play after the board reversed a tribunal's decision on Thursday night.
The incident, which was an alleged strike on a Warrnambool player, occurred late in the second quarter of the under 16s second semi-final at Port Fairy's Gardens Oval on August 11.
The three-week ban was handed down at a marathon tribunal - which included 16 witnesses in a four-and-a-half hour hearing - on September 17. South Warrnambool advocate Kevin Mullins argued the identity of the offender could not be clearly determined.
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He said two spectator witnesses were 141 metres from the incident.
The tribunal heard the spectator witnesses were the only two persons at the match who saw a strike take place.
No other witnesses could attest to the identity of the alleged perpetrator.
The appeals board took just minutes to uphold the appeal.
It ruled the spectator evidence was not sufficient enough to ban the alleged offender.
South Warrnambool went on to win the semi-final and the grand final against Warrnambool.
The Warrnambool player, who was allegedly concussed from the incident, played in the decider.
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Nick Ansell
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
